According to reports, due to the strong opposition caused by the school system adaptation plan, South Korean Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae held an emergency press conference on the afternoon of August 8 to express his willingness to resign. This is only 34 days after Park Soon-ae was inaugurated as the head of the Ministry of Education, which is also the first resignation of the current governor appointed by Yoon Seok-woo's government.
South Korean Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae announced his resignation on the afternoon of the 8th
According to the report, the resignation of South Korea's education minister will once again exacerbate the "crisis" of support ratings faced by South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue. According to last week's latest poll, Yin's approval rating has fallen to a record low of 24 percent.
The South Korean government's latest proposed plan to lower the school age has caused strong controversy, and Park Soon-ae has had to resign under pressure. According to reference sources, as calls against lowering the school age continue to rise, Park Soon-ae said that the Ministry of Education intends to cancel the relevant plan in a comprehensive consideration of public opinion. But the controversy surrounding the school system adjustment plan continues to simmer, and parents, educators and politicians strongly demand that Park Soon-ae step down.
A child wearing a mask arrives at a primary school in Seoul, South Korea (infographic)
On July 29, the South Korean government said it would lower the country's primary school enrolment age from the current age of 6 to 5 years from 2025 at the earliest. It is said that this will be the second time in 76 years that South Korea has reformed the school age. The report pointed out that the South Korean Ministry of Education aims to lower the school age to reduce the burden of parenting such as private education costs for parents. In the long run, lowering the age of school can increase the age-appropriate workforce in the market by allowing young people to complete their education earlier. In addition, the move is also expected to promote young people to work and start families earlier to alleviate South Korea's aging population.
The plan was unveiled in a "storm" of criticism from South Korean teachers, parents and education experts. Critics argue that the reform plan will put South Korean children in more competition for school and employment. In addition, there are also objections that the education plan has "made hasty progress", and there is no consultation with parents, education departments, schools and other relevant parties, and it is difficult to keep up with children's intellectual development, school teachers, facilities and so on. The Federation of Korean Teachers' Associations said that the policy of ignoring the reality of education and not negotiating and exchanging ideas within the field is doomed to failure. South Korean parent and teacher groups also rallied in front of the presidential palace last week to call for the plan to be revoked.
Amid the opposition, Park soon tried to make "concessions" last week. She said she would combine the views of various groups and consider gradually implementing a plan to lower the age of enrolment in the next 12 years instead of 4 years. But this ever-changing "official language" has once again drawn public discontent, with some analysts saying that no public wants the government to prematurely announce a "half-baked" policy and then constantly adjust the details. When Announcing his resignation on the 8th, Park Soon-ae said that all the responsibility for disputes such as adjusting the school system lies with him.
According to reports, Yoon Seok-yue said in response to Park Soon-ae's resignation that the impetus for governance comes from the people, and it is necessary to re-examine and explore current issues from the perspective of the people, and take measures if necessary. And "taking measures" implies the decision to "remove Park Soon-ae".
Red Star News reporter Ding Wen
Edited by Guo Yu Yu Dongmei
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